Band moistener



J. A. NEUMAIR BAND MOI STENER Nov. 20, 1934.

Filed Nov. 28, 1953 FIG. l

WA. 53 M. 4C

. FIG.4

73 m ENTo ATT-ORNEY Patented Nov. 20, 1934 STATES BAND MOISTENER Joseph A. Neumair, Hollis, N. Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application November 28, 1933, Serial No. 700,139

15 Claims.

This invention relates to moistening devices for labeling machines, particularly cigar banding machines. Its general object is to provide an improved device for this purpose which will apply to the band end just the desired amount of liquid for eflicient banding and which may be regulated to fit conditions, and which once set will be dependable in supplying uniform amounts of the liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a liquid applying device of a type in which a liquid applying element is given a compound to and fro movement to the band folding position, such that the element will avoid obstruction, as cigar grippers in or close to the normal path of the element. This is important because in passing close to gripper or conveyor or other machine parts the liquid applying element may pick up grease which has been found to prevent proper application of moisture and indeed to ruin the applying element for further use unless removed and thoroughly cleaned. This also makes it possible to use this type of liquid applier in inaccessible places. Another object of the invention is to improve the construction of the parts supporting the liquid carrying element, which may be a roller, 2y supporting the same at both ends without interferring with its engagement with the band or the source of supply of liquid.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for rendering the band or label adhesive during the folding of the same by means which engages the band with sufficient pressure to insure the application of the desired amount of liquid, and yet to avoid any considerable drag on the band which might displace the same from proper position over the article being banded. To this end it is an object of the invention to provide a device yieldingly movable on the folder and to provide for a slight spacing between this device and the element so as to avoid any pinching of the band between the same. In furtherance of this object it is one feature of the invention to provide for a rolling contact of the device referred to with the band. With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations which will be hereinafter fully described and then particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts, the improved mechanism is shown in connection with the cigar banding mechanism disclosed in my co-pending application for U. S. Letters Patent, Serial #681,713, filed July 22, 1933, to which reference is made for further details on this type of machine.

Fig. I is a side elevation of the improved moistening device;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation on line 4-4 of Fig.1; and Y Fig. 5 is an end elevation seen from line 55 of Fi 2.

In carrying the invention into effect there is provided in combination with means for supporting an article with a label lying across the article with a portion projecting beyond one side thereof, mechanism movable against the label and along said side to fold the label, together with a liquid carrying element movable into the path of the portion of the label being folded to render the end of the label adhesive, and means mounted on said folder for yielding movement thereon to engage the label and press the same against said element. In the best constructions this means comprises a bracket mounted for gravity movement on said folder, and preferably this bracket carries a band engaging roller. In a preferred construction of the invention the liquid applying element is given a to and fro motion to liquid applying position and means are provided for giving said element a transverse movement with respect to its to and fro movement to avoid obstructions. The various means referred to may be varied widely in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention therefore is not to be restricted to the precise details shown and described nor to the particular embodiments chosen as illustrative of the invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawing, a link 54 reciprocates a block 48 sliding on a rod 49 and this block carries a pivot 63 on which is mounted a bar 47 carrying the moistening roller 46. The link 54 is given its operating movement through a block '72 fastened to an oscillating lever oscillated in any suitable manner as disclosed in the above mentioned application.

On a stud 73 in the block 72 is pivoted a bell crank lever 74, one arm of which is pivoted to a bent arm 75. This arm '75 engages with a lug 47a projecting at right angles from bar 4'7. A

spring 64 connected to the bar i7 and block 48 normally holds the moistening roller in its posi tion nearest the axis of the cigar. The bent end of arm is provided with an opening 75a, Fig. 5, permitting the same to cross hub 48a of block 48. The other end of lever 74 is connected by a link 76 with a cam lever 77 pivoted on a stud 78 in lever 50 and on its free end carrying a roller 79 held in engagement with a cam 80 on shaft 37 by a spring 81 attached to arm 50a of lever 50.

Thus as the cam 80 revolves synchronism with the motion of the folding fingers 3.3, the arm 75 strikes the lug 47a and against action of spring 64 swings the bar 47 away from the cigar axis and causes the roller 46 to deviate by the desired amount from its straight axial path at the proper time, as shown by dotted lines and arrows in Fig. 2. This enables the roller to clear, by an amount sufficient to safeguard against picking up grease or dirt which would impair its moistening effect, the cigar grippers or other obstructions.

The folding arm 39' engaging the gummed end of the band B is provided with a dovetail groove in which bracket 82 carrying a roller 83 is slidably mounted for downward movement by gravity. To the bracket 82 a stop piece 85, so bent as to clear the band B and engage bar 47, is secured by a. fastening screw 84 passing through a slot in the stop piece. This makes piece 85 vertically adjustable which acts, by engagement of its tip with the bar 47, to stop roller 83 at the desired distance from moistening roller 46 generally greater than the thickness of the band to prevent'pinching and sidewise dragging thereof as the arm 39' carries .thefinger 38 into folding position on the cigar C. Thus on the lowering motion of arm 39, the stop piece 85 en ages with arm 47 of roller' lfi and thereby holds the backing roller 83 in a fixed relation to roller 46, the arm 82 of roller 33 sliding in the groove of folding arm 39 as the latter continues its down stroke. The in-motion of arm 47 at the end of itsaxial forward stroke then causes the roller 26 to press the gummedend of bandB against roller 83 and thus insures proper moistening of the gum.

By decreasing the space between roller 83 and 46, the moisture applied can be increased and vice versa. The provision of efficient meansfor this purpose is of importance because the amount of moisture applied has a critical effect on the quality of the banding and the speed at which banding may be carried out. Too little moisture results in open bands, and too much requires too long for the seal to set resulting either in slower banding or loose or open bands.

The face of the bar s7 is notched to provide lugs 87 and 88 between which the felt roller 46 is located and rotatably supported by a pintle 86 supported at both ends in the lugs 87 and 88, with the operating face of the roller extending beyond the face of the bar. This construction prevents the breakage that sometimes results from using a pintle supported at one end only and insures proper alignment of the roller.

What is claimed is:

1. In a labeling machine, the combination with means for supporting an article and a label having a portion projecting beyond one side of the article, a folder movable against said portion to fold the same against the article, a liquid carrying element movable into the path of movement of said portion to render it adhesive, and means mounted on said folder for relative movesame against said element.

2. In a labeling machine, the combination with means for supporting an article and a label having a portion projecting beyond one side 'of the article, a folder movable against said portion to fold the same against the article, a liquid carrying element movable into the path of movement of said portion to render it adhesive, means mounted on said folder to engage the label and hold the same against said element, and mechanism for maintaining during folding a predetermined spacing between said means and said element.

3. In a labeling machine, the combination with means for supporting an article and a label having a portion projecting beyond one side of the article, a folder movable against said portion to fold the same against the article, a liquid car rying element movable into the path of movement of said portion to render it adhesive, means mounted on said folder for relative movement thereon to engage the label and press the same against said element, said means being yieldably connected to the folder, and mechanism for stopping said means, while folding movement continues, in predetermined spaced position relative to said element.

4. In a labeling machine, the combination with means for supporting an article with a label having a portion projecting beyond one side of the article, a folder'movable against said portion to fold the same against the article, a liquid carrying element movableinto the path of movement of said portion to render it adhesive, and means mounted on said folder for relative movement thereon to engage thelabel and press the same against said element, said means including a bracket slidably mounted on said folder for movement by gravity thereon. I

5. In a labeling machine, the combination with means for supporting an article with a label having a-portion projecting beyond one side of the article, a folder movable against said portion to fold the same against the article, a liquid carrying element movable into the path of movement of said portion to render it adhesive, means mounted on said folder for relative movement thereon to engage the label and press the same against said element, and adjustable devices for limiting said movement to space said means a predetermined distance from said element to regulate the amountof liquid picked up by the band.v

6. In alabeling machine, the combination with means for supporting an article with a label having a portion projecting beyond one side of the article, a folder movable against said portion to fold the same against the article, a liquid carrying element movable into the path of movement of said portion to render it adhesive, and means mounted on said folder for movement therewith to engage the label and press the same against said elementQsaid means including a roller for engaging the band. I

7. In a cigar banding machine, the combination with a movable band folder, of a liquid applier adjacent the folder, and means yieldingly mounted on said folder for relative movement thereon to press the band operated on by said folder against the applier.

8. In a cigar banding machine, the combination with a'movable band folder, of a liquid applier adjacent thev folder, means yieldingly mounted on said folder for relative movement thereon to press the band operated on by said folder against the applier, and devices controlling the movement of said means relative to the folder to hold the means at a predetermined distance from said applier greater than the thickness of the band.

9. In a cigar banding machine, the combination with a band support, of a liquid applier adjacent the support, a band presser, means on which said presser is yieldingly mounted for relative movement thereon to press the band against the applier, and devices controlling the movement of said presser to hold the same at a predetermined distance from said applier, comprising a stop piece secured to one and positioned to engage the other of said applier and means.

10. In a cigar banding machine, the combination with a movable band folder, of a liquid applier adjacent the folder, means yieldingly mount-ed on said folder for relative movement thereon to press the hand operated on by said folder against the applier, and devices controlling the movement of said means relative to the folder comprisingv a stop piece adjustably secured to said means and having a part arranged to engage said applier for holding the means in any desired fixed relationship to the applier during operation of said folder.

11. In a cigar banding machine, the combination with a movable band folder, of a liquid applier adjacent the folder, and means yieldingly mounted on said folder for relative movement thereon to press the hand operated on by said folder against the applier, said means including a roller positioned to engage the band in opposition to said applier.

12. In a cigar banding machine, the combination with a band moving mechanism, of a liquid applier positioned to act on the end of a band being operated on by said mechanism, means for pressing said band against said applier and a device for holding said means spaced from said applier a distance greater than the thickness of the band to prevent pinching thereof.

13. In a liquid applying device for labeling machines, the combination with label applying means, of a liquid applying element, means for giving said liquid applying means to and fro movement from a moisture receiving position to a position in which it applies liquid to the band being applied, and means for giving said element an additional transverse movement with respect to its to and fro movement to avoid obstructions between moisture applying and moisture receiving positions.

14. In a liquid applying device for labeling machines, the combination With label applying means, of a liquid applying element, means for givin said liquid applying. means to and fro movement from a moisture receiving position to a position in which it applies liquid to the band being applied, and means for giving said element an additional transverse movement with respect to its to and fro movement to avoid obstructions between moisture applying and moisture receiving positions, said means including a bar carrying said element, a reciprocating block on which said bar is mounted for movement transverse to the direction of movement of the bar, an actuator movable relative to said bar and said block for controlling the transverse movement of said bar.

15. In a cigar banding machine, the combination with cigar gripping means for supporting a cigar during banding, of band applying means, a liquid applying element, means for giving said liquid applying element to and fro movement endwise" of the cigar from a moisture receiving position to a position in which it applies liquid to the band being applied, and means for giving said element an additional movement transverse to the line of its to and fro movement to avoid said gripping means as the element moves to moisture applying position.

JOSEPH A. NEUMAIR. 

